Hard Luck Hank: Screw the Galaxy

Hank is a thug. He knows he's a thug. He has no problem with that realization. In his view the galaxy has given him a gift: a mutation that allows him to withstand great deals of physical trauma. He puts his abilities to the best use possible and that isn't by being a scientist. Besides, the space station Belvaille doesn't need scientists. It is not, generally, a thinking person's locale. It is the remotest habitation in the entire Colmarian Confederation. There is literally no reason to be there.

Crimes Against Magic: The Hellequin Chronicles, Book 1

How do you keep the people you care about safe from enemies you can't remember? Ten years ago, Nate Garrett awoke on a cold warehouse floor with no memory of his past and the only clues to his identity were a piece of paper with his name on it and a propensity toward magic. Now he's a powerful sorcerer and a successful thief for hire, but it turns out that those who stole his memories aren't done with him yet. When they cause a job to go bad, threatening a sixteen-year-old girl, Nate swears to protect her.

The Rules of Supervillainy: The Supervillainy Saga Volume 1

Gary Karkofsky is an ordinary guy with an ordinary life living in an extraordinary world. Supervillains, heroes, and monsters are a common part of the world he inhabits. Yet, after the death of his hometown's resident superhero, he gains the amazing gift of the late champion's magical cloak. Deciding he prefers to be rich rather than good, Gary embarks on a career as Merciless: The Supervillain Without Mercy. But is he evil enough to be a villain in America's most crime-ridden city?

Nightlord: Sunset

Eric didn't ask to be a vampire. In fact he didn't even believe in them. Biting your own tongue with your fangs does a lot of convincing. Even so, being a part-time undead isn't as easy as you might think. It can let you hold down a day job, true, but sometimes the night "life" can be more than a little difficult, what with those bloodthirsty urges and predatory instincts kicking in.

God Touched: The Demon Accords, Book 1

Chris Gordon is a rookie with the NYPD - one with a secret. In his spare time Chris is an exorcist without equal, with a gift from God. But when he saves a beatiful girl from a demonic attack, he discovers there is more to fear than just demons. Finding himself surrounded by vampires and were-weasels and facing a giant short-faced bear, Chris struggles to stay alive, all while protecting his deadly new girlfriend. And then there's her overprotective vampire mother!

Off to Be the Wizard

It's a simple story. Boy finds proof that reality is a computer program. Boy uses program to manipulate time and space. Boy gets in trouble. Boy flees back in time to Medieval England to live as a wizard while he tries to think of a way to fix things. Boy gets in more trouble. Oh, and boy meets girl at some point.

Monster Hunter International

Five days after Owen Zastava Pitt pushed his insufferable boss out of a 14th story window, he woke up in the hospital with a scarred face, an unbelievable memory, and a job offer. It turns out that monsters are real. All the things from myth, legend, and B-movies are out there, waiting in the shadows. Some of them are evil, and some are just hungry. Monster Hunter International is the premier eradication company in the business. And now Owen is their newest recruit.

Critical Failures: Caverns and Creatures, Book 1

Tim and his friends find out the hard way that you shouldn't question the game master, and you shouldn't make fun of his cape. One minute, they're drinking away the dreariness of their lives, escaping into a fantasy game and laughing their asses off. The next minute, they're in a horse-drawn cart surrounded by soldiers pointing crossbows at them.

Bill the Vampire

There are reasons we fear the night. He isn't one of them. Bill Ryder was a dateless dweeb...then he died. Unfortunately for him that was just the beginning of his troubles. He awoke to find himself a vampire, one of the legendary predators of the night. Unfortunately for him, he was still at the bottom of the food chain. Now he finds himself surrounded by creatures stronger, deadlier and a whole lot cooler than he is. Worst yet, they all want him dead...permanently this time.

We Are Legion (We Are Bob): Bobiverse, Book 1

Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street. Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets.

Furies of Calderon: The Codex Alera: Book One

For 1000 years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the furies - elementals of earth, air, fire, water and metal. But now, Gaius Sextus, First Lord of Alera, grows old and lacks an heir. Ambitious Lords manoeuvre to place their Houses in positions of power, and a war of succession looms on the horizon. Far from city politics in the Calderon Valley, young Tavi struggles with his lack of fury crafting.

Good Intentions

He knew it was a dumb stunt from the start. A midnight run through a cemetery to impress a couple of girls is hardly the stuff of legend, but Alex Carlisle longs to escape the crushing mediocrity of life after high school. Then he stumbles upon the ritual, and the cultists, and two bound and bloodied women. Alex intervenes and the ritual blows up in his face, leaving him bound to them both: Rachel and Lorelei, an angel and a succubus.

The Reality Dysfunction

The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton is the first in Night's Dawn, a sweeping galactic trilogy from the master of space opera. In AD 2600 the human race is finally realizing its full potential. Hundreds of colonized planets across the galaxy host a multitude of wildly diverse cultures. Genetic engineering has pushed evolution far beyond nature's boundaries, defeating disease and producing extraordinary space-born creatures.

Starship Eternal: War Eternal, Book 1

Captain Mitchell "Ares" Williams is a Space Marine and the hero of the Battle for Liberty whose Shot Heard 'Round the Universe saved the planet from a nearly unstoppable war machine. He's handsome, charismatic, and the perfect poster boy to help the military drive enlistment. Pulled from the war and thrown into the spotlight, he's as efficient at charming the media and bedding beautiful celebrities as he was at shooting down enemy starfighters.

Free the Darkness: King's Dark Tidings, Book 1

Raised and trained in seclusion at a secret fortress on the edge of the northern wilds of the Kingdom of Ashai, a young warrior called Rezkin is unexpectedly thrust into the outworld when a terrible battle destroys all that he knows. With no understanding of his life's purpose and armed with masterful weapons mysteriously bestowed upon him by a dead king, Rezkin must travel across Ashai to find the one man who may hold the clues to his very existence.

Fated: Alex Verus, Book 1

Camden, North London. A tangled, mangled junction of train lines, roads and waterways. Where minor celebrities hang out with minor criminals and where tourists and moody teenagers mingle. In the heart of Camden, where rail meets road meets leyline, you might find the Arcana Emporium, run by one Alex Verus. He won't sell you a wand or mix you a potion, but if you know what you're looking for, he might just be able to help.

Steel World: Undying Mercenaries, Book 1

In the twentieth century Earth sent probes, transmissions and welcoming messages to the stars. Unfortunately, someone noticed. The Galactics arrived with their battle fleet in 2052. Rather than being exterminated under a barrage of hell-burners, Earth joined their vast Empire. Swearing allegiance to our distant alien overlords wasn't the only requirement for survival. We also had to have something of value to trade, something that neighboring planets would pay their hard-earned credits to buy.

A Learning Experience, Book 1

When a bunch of interstellar scavengers approach Earth intending to abduct a few dozen humans and sell them into slavery in the darkest, they make the mistake of picking on Steve Stuart and his friends, ex-military veterans all. Unprepared for humans who can actually fight, unaware of the true capabilities of their stolen starships, the scavengers rapidly lose control of the ship - and their lives.

Cephrael's Hand: A Pattern of Shadow and Light, Book 1

In Alorin...300 years after the genocidal Adept Wars, the realm is dying, and the blessed Adept race dies with it. One man holds the secret to reverting this decline: Bjorn van Gelderan, a dangerous and enigmatic man whose shocking betrayal three centuries past earned him a traitor's brand. It is the Adept Vestal Raine D'Lacourte's mission to learn what Bjorn knows in the hope of salvaging his race. But first he'll have to find him....

NPCs

What happens when the haggling is done and the shops are closed? When the quest has been given, the steeds saddled, and the adventurers are off to their next encounter? They keep the world running, the food cooked, and the horses shoed, yet what adventurer has ever spared a thought or concern for the Non-Player Characters? In the town of Maplebark, four such NPCs settle in for a night of actively ignoring the adventurers drinking in the tavern when things go quickly and fatally awry.

Survival Quest: Way of the Shaman Series # 1

Barliona: a virtual world jam-packed with monsters, battles - and, predictably, players. Millions of them come to Barliona, looking forward to the things they can't get in real life: elves and magic, dragons and princesses, and unforgettable combat. The game has become so popular that players now choose to spend months online without returning home. In Barliona, anything goes: You can assault fellow players, level up, become a mythical hero, a wizard, or a legendary thief.

Ack-Ack Macaque: Ack-Ack Macaque, Book 1

In 1944, as waves of German ninjas parachute into Kent, Britain's best hopes for victory lie with a Spitfire pilot codenamed Ack-Ack Macaque. The trouble is, Ack-Ack Macaque is a cynical, one-eyed, cigar-chomping monkey, and he's starting to doubt everything, including his own existence.

Doctor Who: Eleventh Doctor Tales: Eleventh Doctor Audio Originals

Join the Eleventh Doctor on journeys in time and space in the stories 'The Runaway Train' by Oli Smith, 'The Ring of Steel' by Stephen Cole, 'The Jade Pyramid' by Martin Day, 'The Hounds of Artemis' by James Goss, 'The Gemini Contagion' by Jason Arnopp, 'Eye of the Jungle' by Darren Jones, 'Blackout' by Oli Smith, 'The Art of Death' by James Goss, 'Darkstar Academy' by Mark Morris, 'Day of the Cockroach' by Steve Lyons and many more.

London Falling: The Shadow Police, Book One

Detective Inspector James Quill is about to complete the drugs bust of his career. Then his prize suspect, Rob Toshack, is murdered in custody. Furious, Quill pursues the investigation, co-opting intelligence analyst Lisa Ross and undercover cops Costain and Sefton. But nothing about Toshack's murder is normal. Toshack had struck a bargain with a vindictive entity, whose occult powers kept Toshack one step ahead of the law - until his luck ran out. Now, the team must find a 'suspect' who can bend space and time and alter memory itself. And they will kill again.

Publisher's Summary

Hank was a dying breed on the space station Belvaille. The criminal gangs that had once made their homes there were forced out by the corporations that had taken over since the facility became an Independent Protectorate. Instead of the gentlemanly gang wars that had once dominated the scene, and made Hank's services prized as a negotiator, the city was now plagued by the clash of corporate armies using heavy weapons. Even tanks roamed the streets regularly. Most everyone from the olden days had either fled the station or was killed due to the organizational changes. Changes that Hank personally brought about when he had negotiated Belvaille's status with the Navy. As Hank contemplates whether he can survive in this increasingly hostile environment, he realizes that things aren't as bad as they seem - they are quite a bit worse. The constant power plays among corporations might have further reach than just the alleys of a backwater space station at the edge of the galaxy.

Hard Luck Hank: Basketful of Crap is a short but very entertaining listen. If you liked the first book, you'll love the second.

This book had me grinning from ear to ear, and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a fun read.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Diana

Antelope Valley, CA, United States

11/11/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great Sci-Fi humor and action - lots of fun"

I love writing that can make me laugh. There's one scene written in this book that had me laughing really hard (Hank in the space shuttle going to meet the general.) The rest of the book is pretty even throughout with wry humor, wisecracks, and Hank's continuous self-deprecating viewpoints. It's awesome that Steven Campbell can keep up a high rate of humor throughout the book.

The narration is good, and most characters are identifiable by voice, although the narrator is a bit limited in variety in comparison to Fisher Stevens or Bronson Pinchot. Liam Owen is perfect as the voice of Hank, with dry wit, snarky, sarcastic and long-suffering tones modulating Hank's speech and inner voice.

It's a book that manages to be funny and still have an interesting and inventive plot and pretty good action scenes.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Michael

US

31/10/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Let the good times roll!"

An enjoyable listen, absolutely loved the new characters, the good and bad guys. Thought it had a but more excitement and action than the first, with the great twists throughout!. Familiar Hank feel but still felt very fresh! Really great job on this one!

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

Pablo

SAN ANTONIO, TX, United States

11/02/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"ok,enjoyable. looking forward to the next book"

It wasn't as good as the first but it was worth getting! It's fun following Hank around on his adventure. Please continue this series!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Tan

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

12/01/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Second Hank is a winner!"

This second book in the Hard Luck Hank series is funnier than ever and has a great story. I know there's a third book but I hope there's more to come!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

anthony

Danville, KY, United States

14/11/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"hilarious!!"

I'm not into highbrow books, that being said this book was awesome. Fast paced funny and the narrator was perfect. Can't wait for the next one.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Joshua Kring

Harriman, TN

05/07/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"What happened Hank?"

I didn't like this book as much as I did the first. After skimming over the reviews on audible it seems that, once again, I'm in the minority. So, let me defend my position.

What went wrong here? I almost think that Steven Campbell quit trying. There was nothing in this book that made me laugh like there was in the first one. The jokes seemed either too silly and forced or the narrator's delivery and timing was way off.

While I thought the first Hank book had a great plot, I got confused a lot of times with this one. Some of the major plot points were delivered through character dialogue and it wasn't very cohesive. I kept thinking, "what the bleep are they talking about?" In my review of the first book I said that character dialogue was on par, but it is really lacking something in this sequel.

Then there were the sound effects. I've never been a fan of sound effects in my audio books, however, in the first Hank book they added flavor to the story and some of them (I'm thinking of the shotgun blasts) were kind of cool. In this book, though, they were a nuisance. There were some voice effects that made it nearly impossible to understand the words.

Finally, Liam Owen's performance was worse. I took a lot of time criticising him in my last review, so I won't do it here. I wouldn't know where to start.

If the first book had been as disappointing as this one I would have stopped there. Yet, its on the merits of that book that I will probably give Hank another chance, but if it doesn't improve I might end my relationship with the big dumb brute there and say, "Eat suck, Suckface!"

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

vulgaris vir

Silverton, OR

13/11/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great in every respect - KaCHOOM!"

If you could sum up Hard Luck Hank in three words, what would they be?

Most enjoyable listen.

What other book might you compare Hard Luck Hank to and why?

Off to be the Wizard. Both of these books are lighthearted with male characters who have issues on top of being comical heroes.

What about Liam Owen’s performance did you like?

Liam is absolutely perfect for the voice of Hank. In fact, Liam could turn a basketful of crap into, well, a basket.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

There is no I in team, but there is a "Ha" in Hank!

Any additional comments?

More Hank, less Kardashians!

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Paul

United States

18/10/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"OMG - Hilarity in space!"

Where is Hank the series? Netflix, HBO somebody please pick this up. The only thing funnier than reading about Hank would be seeing him in live action!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Robert

05/10/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Not as good as the first but still a fun listen"

Just as stupid as the first but this is not a problem. Sometimes it's just about the characters and this series has many great ones... starting of course with Hank.

However this is not as fresh as the first and I'm not sure if the humor will continue to hold up over subsequent novels. However, it is still funny enough that I will likely get the next in the series.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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